Mike Gibbons’s earliest baseball memories are like those of many kids: He played catch for hours in his yard; imitated batting stances and pitching motions of his favorite players; and pursued the sport in Little League and high school at the encouragement of his parents, who had both played college sports.

But not every kid gets to live the dream of playing for a Major League Baseball team. He will. In the fall, Gibbons signed on with a major league team—the New York Mets.

“Every baseball player dreams of having a chance to play in the big leagues, so signing that contract with the Mets was certainly a big goal that I accomplished,” said Gibbons, who competed for Wheaton’s baseball team the past three seasons.

Gibbons, a right-handed pitcher, is the third member of Wheaton’s baseball program to sign a contract with a major league ball club. Chris Denorfia ’02—now a member of the Chicago Cubs—was the first to advance to the major leagues, as he was drafted by the Cincinnati Reds in the 19th round of the MLB amateur draft in June 2002. Jamie Baker ’06 also inked his name on a professional contract, signing with the San Diego Padres in September 2006 after playing one full season with the Nashua Pride.

Yet, unlike Denorfia and Baker, Gibbons is the first student-athlete to be offered, and sign, a professional contract before his senior season.

“I was truly excited for Mike the day he signed,” said Wheaton head coach Eric Podbelski. “Mike never played to get drafted, he just played and did the best he could for Wheaton College.”

Over the past three seasons, Gibbons compiled a 9–3 record and a 2.63 earned run average (ERA) through 106 innings of work. Last spring, he appeared in 12 games—started nine contests—and posted a 4–1 record with a 1.89 ERA alongside 37 strikeouts in 57 innings pitched. He held opponents to a .203 batting average and forced numerous hitters to ground out.

“We allowed Mike to develop at a pace that was right for him,” said Podbelski, “and when he was ready, the innings were there for him. Mike was humble and willing to work for what he got and he never had the expectation of anything being handed to him.”

Ryan Parker ’01, a former player and pitching coach for the Lyons, said, “Mike was a model of progress over his first three years in the program. He learned how to take himself seriously and how to get the most out of himself on a daily basis through preparation, routine and conditioning. All his efforts were noted by coaches and teammates alike, and now Mike gives the program another example of what is possible if you truly bear down and maximize your talent and opportunity while at Wheaton.”

While Gibbons improved each spring with the Lyons, he also gained additional experience on the mound when he pitched for the Torrington Titans of the Futures Collegiate Baseball League last summer. Totaling 50 2/3 innings of work, Gibbons struck out 59 batters—third in the league—and held opposing hitters to a .240 batting average. His efforts carried the Titans to the second round of the playoffs.

It’s unknown which minor league affiliate he’ll pitch for; however, he is focused on proving that he belongs.

“To get to the next level is obviously everyone’s goal, so I plan on just working as hard as I can, learning as much as I can and improving as much as I can.”

No matter what, Gibbons, an economics major, knows that Wheaton has prepared him for future success in either baseball or business.

“Wheaton really offered the best opportunity that a school could offer as far as giving me the full package. Obviously, looking past my baseball career, I wanted a school that would challenge me in the classroom as well as on the baseball field and Wheaton did just that,” he said.

Conner Bourgoin ’16 and Dylan Cooper ’17 each appeared on the New England Women’s and Men’s Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) Academic All-Conference list. Wheaton finished fourth at the conference championship, its best placement in NEWMAC Championship races since 2004.

Dana MacDonald ’15, Sarah McNicholas ’15, Madison Wolters ’15 and Amelia Gage ’17 each received Academic All-Conference honors. Wolters, who was named second team all-conference, finished with a league-best 129 saves. Wheaton won 10 games, the most the team has compiled since posting a 10–9 mark in 2011.

Men’s soccer

Kevin Davis ’17

Travis Blair ’15

Luke Finkelstein ’15

Luke Finkelstein ’15 and Travis Blair ’15 were voted to the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) Division III All-America first team and third team, respectively. Both players also collected Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Division III New England Men’s Soccer and NSCAA All-New England Team accolades, while Kevin Davis ’17 appeared on the NSCAA All-New England second team. Wheaton returned to the NCAA Tournament for the second straight season, but fell to the eventual national champions, Tufts University, in the second round.

Women’s tennis

Alexandra Marlowe ’15

Amanda Brazell ’17

Caroline Stanclift ’16

Stasia Furber ’16

Kathryn Burleson ’15

Kathryn Burleson ’15, Stasia “Stassy” Furber ’16, Caroline Stanclift ’16 and Amanda Brazell ’17 each appeared on the NEWMAC Academic All-Conference team. On September 20, Alexandra Marlowe ’15 claimed her 50th career singles and doubles victory. She is currently ranked No. 24 in the Northeast region via the Intercollegiate Tennis Association. Wheaton appeared in the conference tournament for the 14th straight season, but fell to Mount Holyoke College in the quarterfinals.

Women’s soccer

Lauren Corigliano ’15

Lauren Corigliano ’15 concluded her career in a Wheaton uniform by collecting ECAC Division III New England Women’s Soccer All-Star first team, New England Women’s Intercollegiate Soccer Association (NEWISA) All-New England second team and NSCAA All-New England first team accolades. Wheaton collected its third consecutive NSCAA Team Academic Award and reached the NEWMAC Tournament Championship game for the 14th time in program history.

Women’s volleyball

Taylor Matook ’16

Robyn D'Agostino ’16

Colleen Koen ’17

Deirdre Wilson ’16

Deirdre Wilson ’16, an American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) All-America honorable mention, earned AVCA All-New England Region honors, while being named to the all-conference second team. Colleen Koen ’17 concluded the fall with 147 kills (third on the team)—a single-season mark. Wheaton totaled 1,329 kills (11.56 per set), earning an eighth-place mark in single-season history, too. Robyn D’Agostino ’16, Taylor Matook ’16 and Wilson each earned spots on the NEWMAC Academic All-Conference list, and Wheaton concluded its campaign 18–14 overall, posting its highest win total since 2009 (18–15). The Lyons also compiled 15 or more wins in a season for the 15th time in program history this year and competed in the NEWMAC Tournament for the first time since 2008.

Senior McKenzie “Kenzie” Kuhn ’15, an environmental science major, jumps at opportunities to learn outside the classroom. This summer doing so landed her in Siberia, Russia, where she participated in the Polaris Project as a student researcher, exploring the effects of methane gas, an essential greenhouse gas that is contributing to our globe’s warming climate.

“Wheaton’s environmental science program has done a great job of introducing me to multiple scientific disciplines from field geology in Death Valley to instrumental chemistry in the Wheaton laboratories,” said Kuhn, a point guard on the women’s basketball team. “After spending a month in Siberia, I came away from the experience with a new appreciation for the Arctic landscape and a passion for the environmental fieldwork that accompanies it.”

Funded by the National Science Foundation and Woods Hole Research Center, the Polaris Project is an initiative to study global climate change. It began in 2007 after a conversation between founder and director Max Holmes and John Schade, the project’s education coordinator. It has evolved into a collaboration of scientists and students from around the world who are trying to understand more about our changing climate by conducting research in the Siberian Arctic.

“What makes the Polaris Project interesting is that it feeds off the students’ curiosity and self-motivation,” said Associate Professor of Chemistry and Geology Matthew Evans. “The Polaris Project came to mind when Kenzie [who has been his lab intern] asked me about fieldwork and research for the summer.”

With Evans’s assistance, Kuhn completed her application and was accepted before the end of her junior year. She also received a summer stipend through the Davis International Fellowship, which covered her flights through 19 different time zones. When she arrived in Siberia, Kuhn researched possible topics to study through readings and field observation, along with various conversations with Schade, her internship advisor. The two considered different ideas, but it was Kuhn who decided to pursue a study on dissolved methane concentrations in small ponds.

Her research included observing different ponds that weren’t connected above the surface but were linked through underground channels. One of her biggest takeaways from the research was discovering how certain types of moss may host bacteria that consume methane.

“Understanding how methane is produced is important to be able to predict future temperatures, but I mainly wanted to know if methane concentrations changed in a series of ponds from the top to the bottom,” said Kuhn, who lived on a barge during the internship.

“Preliminary data suggest that there is a difference in dissolved methane concentrations depending on the type of moss at the bottom of the ponds. Ponds with brown moss had significantly less methane. A possible explanation for this is that the brown moss contains small organisms that use up available methane for energy.”

After her time in the field concluded, Kuhn presented her findings to the other students and researchers through a seminar. She also submitted an abstract for the American Geophysical Union meeting, which is scheduled to take place in mid-December in San Francisco.

“Kenzie played a big role in maturing her project but also in developing and carrying out the approach to answering her questions,” said Schade. “She was very enthusiastic, curious and observant throughout the entire process.”

The Polaris Project not only provided Kuhn with an opportunity to study outside the classroom, but also allowed her time to consider what she’d like to pursue after graduation. Regardless of what she decides to do after she receives her diploma, Kuhn hopes to return to the Arctic one day for additional research.

As Evans said, “Kenzie has gained access to a pretty broad and talented network of faculty, researchers and students through her different internships and research experiences, which will serve her well in the future should she continue in this vein of research, which I hope she will. I hope to soon call her a colleague after graduation.”

Ryan Grant ’14 capped his four-year career by becoming the NCAA Division III leader in saves (46). He tied the mark at 44 on April 18 against MIT—the same day the team claimed its 15th New England Women’s and Men’s Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) regular-season title in the league’s 16-year history. Apolinar De La Cruz ’15 was chosen as the NEWMAC Player of the Year.

Men’s basketball

William Bayliss ’14

The team received a NEWMAC Sportsmanship Award. William Bayliss ’14 concluded his career with the team as third in assists (293). He also played in 83 games, averaged 7.1 points per game (590 total) and compiled 205 rebounds, 70 steals and a .400 field goal percentage.

Women’s basketball

Abbie Brickley ’15

Head coach Melissa Hodgdon guided the Lyons to a fifth 20-win season, which included trips to the NEWMAC and Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) tournaments. Hodgdon was named NEWMAC Coach of the Year and received a President’s Award for Outstanding Service from Wheaton. Abbie Brickley ’15 became the 12th student-athlete in program history to reach the 1,000-point level.

Men’s cross country

Conner Bourgoin ’16

The Lyons earned U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) All-Academic Team honors, and Conner Bourgoin ’16 was named to the NEWMAC Academic All-Conference list.

Women’s cross country

Sonrisa O'Toole ’15

The Lyons earned USTFCCCA All-Academic Team honors, while Sonrisa O’Toole ’15 picked up USTFCCCA All-Academic honors. Wheaton also had five student-athletes named to the NEWMAC Academic All-Conference list.

Field hockey

Dana MacDonald ’15

Dana MacDonald ’15 was named to the National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA) Scholars of Distinction list, and 10 Lyons were named to the NFHCA National Academic Squad. Wheaton claimed the NFHCA Collegiate National Academic Award.

Men’s lacrosse

Sean Finn ’15

Sean Finn ’15was named to the NEWMAC Academic All-Conference list. The Lyons worked with Team IMPACT (Inspire, Motivate, Play Against Challenges, Together), a New England-based nonprofit that aims to improve the quality of life for children facing life-threatening and chronic illnesses.

Women’s lacrosse

Devon Soucier ’14

The team made its first appearance in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Tournament since 2004, defeating Emmanuel College, 14–3, in the first round before falling to Williams College in the second round, 9–6. Emily Kiablick was named NEWMAC Coach of the Year. Devon Soucier ’14 was selected to the NEWMAC All-Conference First Team and the ECAC All-New England First Team.

Men’s soccer

Travis Blair ’15

The team concluded its season with 17 wins, a NEWMAC tournament crown (eighth) and a first-round NCAA tournament victory over Plattsburgh State. Travis Blair ’15 won the Chad Yowell Outstanding Male Athlete Award.

Women’s soccer

The team ended its season with 17 wins, captured the NEWMAC regular-season title (12th) and defeated Albertus Magnus, 1–0, in the ECAC finals.

Softball

Ashley Brillon ’14

Emma Hart ’16

Wheaton made its first NCAA tournament appearance since 2004 and received its first national ranking since 2005 on the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Division III Top 25 poll. Ashley Brillon ’14 was named to the NFCA All-New England Region first team. Emma Hart ’16 was named to College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) Capital One Academic All-District Team.

Men’s swimming

Matthew Sexton ’14

Matthew Sexton ’14 was named to the CoSIDA Capital One Academic All-America Second Team. Ross Johnston ’17 was named NEWMAC Rookie of the Year. The team shattered its previous NEWMAC Championship record of 551 points, set in 2003–04, by more than 240 points; Wheaton also placed fifth overall in that meet with a program-best 797.5 points.

Women’s swimming

The team won a College Swimming Coaches Association of America Scholar All-America Award. Helen Grant ’16, Abigail Washington ’15 and Kelsey White ’15 were named to the NEWMAC Academic All-Conference list.

Synchronized swimming

Wheaton concluded its 2013–14 season with its 26th consecutive top-10 performance at the U.S. Collegiate Nationals. The Lyons also placed second overall for the fifth consecutive season at the ECAC championship.

Men’s tennis

Jonathan Terrace ’14

Samuel Jackson ’14,

Samuel Jackson ’14 and Jonathan Terrace ’14 were named to NEWMAC Academic All-Conference list and Wheaton appeared in the NEWMAC tournament for a second consecutive season.

Women’s tennis

Lyndsay Cooke ’14

Lyndsay Cooke ’14 was named to the CoSIDA Capital One Academic All-District Team. Alexandra Marlowe ’15 was selected as the NEWMAC Player of the Year. Lynn Miller was named Coach of the Year. Seven student-athletes were named to the NEWMAC Academic All-Conference list. The Lyons advanced to the NEWMAC tournament semifinals for the seventh consecutive season.

Men’s track and field

Benjamin Sharma ’15

Benjamin Sharma ’15 broke the school record in the 400-meter hurdles with a time of 54.52 seconds at the ECAC Championship.

Women’s track and field

Ashante Little ’14 claimed her second career national title with a meet record time of 55.10 seconds in the 400-meter dash at the 2014 NCAA Division III Women’s Track & Field Championship (indoor). The women’s team concluded its outdoor season finishing in a sixth-place tie at the NCAA Division III Outdoor Track & Field Championship with 11 All-American performances under head coach Dave Cusano. Meredith Scannell ’14 ranked fifth overall in the 400-meter run at 55.36 seconds, securing her seventh career All-America honor and first in the 400-meter outdoor event. Amber Spencer ’14 collected her fourth NCAA All-America honor at the outdoor championships.

Volleyball

Taylor Matook ’16

Robyn D'Agostino ’16

Robyn D’Agostino ’16 and Taylor Matook ’16 were named to the NEWMAC Academic All-Conference list. The team hosted several community service initiatives, including a fundraiser to support those suffering from Alzheimer’s.

Named for Chad Yowell, former director of athletics from 1988 to 2011, the Hall of Fame was established to honor and give permanent recognition to those who have made outstanding contributions in the athletics arena and continue to demonstrate in their lives the values of intercollegiate athletics.

The Athletics Department launched the Hall of Fame in October 2013 at Homecoming, with a celebration in Emerson Dining Hall. Alumnae/i, coaches, student-athletes, faculty and staff attended the event in which the achievements of nine inductees and the 1983 field hockey team were lauded.

“This event was very special. In addition to recognizing the all-time greats, it really highlighted the tremendous athletic program we have, and it gave everyone an opportunity to celebrate as well as reconnect with former teammates and alums,” said John Sutyak ’00, director of athletics and the event’s master of ceremonies. He was a member of the committee that worked to bring the Hall of Fame into fruition and helped select the first inductees.

The committee, composed of faculty and staff, will decide who gets inducted each year. However, all members of the Wheaton community, including alumnae/i and friends of the college, are encouraged to submit nominations.

2013 inductees:

Chad Yowell

Former athletics director

Chad Yowell was Wheaton’s executive director of athletics from 1988 to 2011. He was named the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) Northeast Director of Athletics of the Year during the 2003–04 academic year. Under Yowell’s direction, Wheaton won eight National Collegiate Athletic Association championships, 13 Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference titles, and had four top-25 finishes in the competition for the NACDA Directors’ Cup award. Yowell also turned an eight-sport women’s athletics program into a 21-sport coeducational program that garnered national attention.

Lynn Miller

Head coach, women’s and men’s tennis team

For 33 years, Lynn Miller has been both head coach and an administrator. She has coached the women’s tennis program since 1980 and the men’s tennis squad since 1989, in addition to guiding the women’s basketball program from 1980–84. She also served as the director of athletics from 1986–88. Miller was inducted into the United States Tennis Association New England Hall of Fame in 2012.

Judith Alper Smith ’57

Chief recruitment officer for the National Association of Corporate Directors, Washington, D.C.

Inducted into the United States Tennis Association New England Hall of Fame in 2013, Judith Alper Smith has been prominent in the national senior circuit for nearly four decades. Smith has earned No. 1 rankings in women’s doubles and mixed doubles in several age categories since the 1980s. She continues to represent the region in national tournaments.

Deborah Simourian Jamgochian ’76

Although Wheaton did not sponsor a golf team, Deborah Simourian Jamgochian earned a first-place tie in the 1975 Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women national individual golf championship. Her honors include an Eastern Association of Intercollegiate Athletics for Women championship, a Massachusetts State Amateur title, and a New England Amateur championship. She was ranked third overall in the 2008 Golf Digest National Rankings in the Senior Women Amateurs division for her performances in 2007.

Ann Zarchen Knoblock ’81

Longwood Cricket Club president

Ann Zarchen Knoblock was the first Wheaton basketball player (among both women and men) to score 1,000 career points. She still holds several program records at Wheaton. Knoblock ranks seventh all-time in points scored (1,195), third in field goals (525) and ninth in games played (108). She also was invited to the 1981 Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women National Tennis Championship and appeared as a finalist in the Massachusetts Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women Tennis Championship in the same year.

Janet Kelly ’86

Managing partner,
Boston Marketing Advisors

Janet Kelly was the first All-American in the history of Wheaton athletics. She was a defensive cornerstone for the field hockey team from 1982 to 1985 and women’s lacrosse team from 1983 to 1986. She earned College Field Hockey Coaches Association All-America honors in 1983. Kelly was named a Massachusetts Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women All-Star. She holds a rare honor in Wheaton athletics history as she played for the first team to reach the NCAA Tournament in 1983 (field hockey) and the first team ever to advance to the NCAA Final Four in 1986 (lacrosse).

Kimberly Sears ’00

Algebra II teacher at Florida Virtual School

A two-sport all-region student-athlete (field hockey and softball) at Wheaton, Kimberly Sears compiled many awards, including three National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) All-America honors (1997–99), four NFCA All-New England accolades, and three Eastern College Athletic Conference New England All-Star selections in softball (1997–99). She was also named to the National Field Hockey Coaches Association All-New England squad in 1999. Academically, Sears is a two-time NFCA Scholar Award recipient, and also received GTE Academic College Division All-District I accolades for softball in 1999.

Christopher Denorfia ’02

Outfielder for San Diego Padres

An eight-year veteran in Major League Baseball (MLB) playing for Cincinnati, Oakland and San Diego, Christopher Denorfia was an American Baseball Coaches Association All-America selection in 2002, highlighting several awards he gathered while at Wheaton. He earned three New England Intercollegiate Baseball Association All-New England nods and two Eastern College Athletic Conference New England All-Star selections. He was named the New England Women’s and Men’s Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) Player of the Year in 2002 and the NEWMAC Co-Rookie of the Year in 1999. He was selected in the 19th round of the 2002 MLB amateur draft by the Cincinnati Reds.

Amber James ’04

Marketing writer at
Biamp Systems, Portland, Ore.

Easily the most decorated student-athlete in the history of any Wheaton athletics program, Amber James was a 17-time NCAA national champion and 24-time All-American as a member of the women’s track and field team. She is the only NCAA Division III male or female student-athlete to sweep an NCAA event national title in all four years in both the indoor and outdoor track and field championships. James was voted the Greatest Female Athlete in the 25-year history of the NCAA Division III indoor track and field championship, named to the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association Division III Silver Anniversary Team, and selected as the United States Track Coaches Association National Track Athlete of the Year (Outdoors) in 2002.

1983 field hockey team

The 1983 field hockey team holds claim to earning the first-ever NCAA Tournament berth in Wheaton history, as the Lyons posted a 12–2–0 record to win a spot in the 16-team NCAA Tournament field that year. The Lyons’ 13-win season in 1983 is still tied for second all-time in program history.

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https://wheatoncollege.edu/quarterly/2014/02/07/big-finish/#respondFri, 07 Feb 2014 14:10:24 +0000http://wheatoncollege.edu/quarterly/?p=9118Ashante Little ’14 wins national championship

They say first impressions are important. Ashante Little seems to have that nailed down, judging by her first encounter with Dave Cusano, Wheaton’s head track and field coach, during his first season on campus in 2012.

“When I first met Ashante, she asked, ‘How are you going to make me a national champion?’” Cusano recalls. “I knew right from that moment that I was going to have an opportunity to coach someone very special.”

Their teamwork, indeed, has led Little to her greatest achievement on the track. Last spring she captured her first career national title with a personal best time of 54.79 seconds in the 400-meter dash at the NCAA Division III Outdoor Track & Field Championship in La Crosse, Wis.

“Before the final of the 400-meter, coach told me I could do it,” she says. “It had been a long weekend and we still had races to finish, but his trust and reassurance kept me out of my own head and helped me stay as focused and on target as I could be.”

As Cusano recalls, “Was I nervous about Ashante’s race? No, but I could see signs of fatigue from her racing eight times over a three-day span at the biggest meet of the season. But what she expected from herself was greatness and she achieved it.”

Once Little crossed the finish line, she not only celebrated her accomplishment with Cusano, but also inked her name in the Wheaton track and field program record book as the 19th student-athlete to earn a national title, something that hadn’t been accomplished since Amber James ’04 earned crowns in both the 200-meter dash and 400-meter dash nine years earlier in the same venue.

In addition to this crowning achievement, Little had enjoyed a very successful first season with the Lyons, earning two impressive honors—New England Women’s and Men’s Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) Outdoor Track & Field Co-Rookie of the Year award and a spot on the All-Conference Second Team (outdoor 400-meter hurdles). But she wanted more.

“I realize now that I had never truly pushed myself before Coach Cusano’s arrival. He helped me to see that greatness didn’t come just from doing physical work, but that all aspects of my life needed to fall into suit with my goals,” says Little. “Coach has taught me that in order to be the best athlete I can be, I need to be my best ‘self’,’ which includes being emotionally and mentally strong.”

Since the two have been working together, Little’s performance on the track has improved. Over the past three seasons, she’s earned not only a national title, but also nine All-America honors. She also is the sole holder of three Wheaton records in the 100-meter hurdles (outdoor), 500 meters (indoor), and 600 meters (indoor).

A major in African, African American, Diaspora studies, Little’s drive to succeed in athletics matches her desire to excel in the classroom. She credits Professor Shawn Christian, her advisor, for helping her stay on track for academic success.

“Professor Christian has shaped my Wheaton career tremendously by going above and beyond. Year after year at Wheaton, he has been more than supportive in both my academic and athletic pursuits. He has worked with me to identify my goals, which is reassuring as a senior trying to figure out what comes after Wheaton.”

Outside of the classroom, she has been busy helping current students as well as helping Wheaton prepare for the future. She is one of two students selected to serve with faculty and staff on the Presidential Search Committee.

“To play such an integral role in the future of the institution is quite gratifying,” she says.

She also is a mentor for first-year student-athletes, a role she created with Dean Alex Vasquez and Associate Director of Athletics Lisa Yenush ’90.

As for postgraduation plans, Little says, she’s keeping her options open, including the possibility of applying to graduate schools.

One thing is for sure, says Cusano, given her track record, “She is the type of person who can accomplish whatever she seeks.”

Allegra Kurtz-Rossi ’15 has been riding horses since she was 11 years old, but she had never participated in a national equestrian competition until last spring as a member of the Wheaton Equestrian Team.

Her first gallop into the national arena paid off big time. Competing against representatives from more than 100 schools, Kurtz-Rossi placed 10th in the nation in the walk-trot-canter category of the 2013 Intercollegiate Horse Show Association Nationals held last spring in Harrisburg, Pa.

“It was an amazing experience,” says Kurtz-Rossi, who this year is one of the equestrian team’s captains. “I had never competed in such a large horse show before, so I was pretty nervous, especially being the only representative for Wheaton’s team.”

Kurtz-Rossi had qualified to show at the nationals by becoming the champion in her division at the New England regional finals held at Mount Holyoke College last spring.

“Competing against the best riders in our zone, I was not expecting to place first or second, which you must get in order to go to nationals,” she says. “You can imagine my surprise and excitement when I placed first.”

Allegra Kurtz-Rossi ’15 credits her mom, Sabrina Kurtz-Rossi, for the support needed to help her win top honors at nationals.

A chemistry major, the equestrian is no stranger to taking on and successfully working through challenges: “Until college, AP chemistry was the most difficult and time-consuming class I had ever taken, but I still loved it, and that was when I knew I should pursue chemistry,” says Kurtz-Rossi, who has worked as a lab assistant for Associate Professor of Chemistry Thandi Buthelezi.

“Chemistry is one of the only subjects I enjoy even when it is extremely difficult. After I graduate, I hope to get a Ph.D. in chemistry.”

It is that kind of fearlessness that helped Kurtz-Rossi get to the nationals, and brought her a top 10 placement in the tough competition, former equestrian team coach Amanda Hare points out.

“She was one of only three riders in the top 10 who came from a smaller riding program like Wheaton’s. The other seven out of the top 10 riders were from schools that have all won a National Collegiate Team Championship at some point,” Hare says.

“We had a clear game plan and strategy as to how we were going to ride in order to get noticed, and she executed that plan beautifully. For a rider who had never even competed in a rated horse show before coming to college, she kept her cool and performed beautifully.”

Wheaton’s equestrian team, a club sport, has enjoyed a great deal of success recently, with five Wheaton riders making it to nationals during the past decade, under the guidance of Hare. (Hare recently stepped down as coach to spend more time with her family. She currently holds an administrative role for the team.)

Hare recalls being impressed by Kurtz-Rossi’s skills from the day she saw her ride during the team’s first practice session. “Allegra has grown so much over the past two seasons from a nervous and timid rider into a fierce competitor.”

Says Kurtz-Rossi: “I would never have gotten to nationals without the great coaching I had from Amanda and [former assistant coach] Anna [Machonis], and the support for my riding that my parents give me.”

Benjamin Brown ’13 puts analytics to work to help team

Benjamin Brown ’13 has a secret that very few people know. Although he never played the sport, his extracurricular project helped the men’s lacrosse team improve its game, ending the season with a 7–8 record against tougher opponents than they had contested in the past.

Ian Casey ’13 and Brown (on right).

Brown, who double majored in economics and mathematics, created his own form of lacrosse analytics. His system focuses on the Lyons’ opposing players and teams, using video from the games and box scores to establish a rating system that complements the coaches’ scouting reports. The box scores provide in-game statistics of shots, shots on net goals, assists and saves, while the video displays certain patterns by the opposition that helped Brown with his analytic scouting reports.

“Ben worked extremely hard on this project,” said men’s lacrosse coach Jamie Lockard. “When he came into the office we spent 40 minutes talking about his reports on the various games, and we needed every single minute of our meetings.”

As a casual fan on the sidelines, Brown always pondered strategies for winning games. “Over the years, I went from being one of the kids yelling at the other teams to actually taking an interest in how the game worked and what could be figured out analytically,” he said.

He has always been interested in numbers and statistics, thanks to his father, a remedial math teacher who introduced him to a baseball probability game called Strat-O-Matic Baseball. The board game, which he still plays with his father, allows players to create lineups using cards of baseball legends with categories on the back that activate an offensive or defensive play with a roll of the dice.

The board game never inspired him to pursue a career in sports, but did keep him thinking about numbers and statistics beyond his studies. When he transferred to Wheaton in 2010 from Washington & Jefferson College, his advisor, Professor John Gildea, encouraged him to pursue opportunities to explore applications of his math interests outside the classroom.

“Professor Gildea had always told me, ‘If there’s something that you think is a great opportunity for you and you think you can somehow figure it out and not pull your hair out, you should go for it,’” said Brown. “Because of his advice I was less timid about trying things.”

Brown’s venture into lacrosse was initiated by a few late-night conversations with one of the team’s co-captains from this past season, Ian Casey ’13, whom Brown described as an “indispensable” collaborator. Both students roomed together and frequently talked about lacrosse and strategy. Their conversations expanded to include members of the team, who were all intrigued. They encouraged Brown to contact their coach and pitch his plan of creating a player and team rating system.

“It opened my eyes to a lot of different parts of the game that I didn’t really put a lot of value into,” said Lockard. “I thought it could only help the team.”

Noted Brown: “Coach Lockard’s ability to synthesize my results and pass them on to the team in a digestible language was beyond critical and really drove the value behind my work.”

As the season progressed, Brown’s reports improved and provided a valuable supplement to the coaches’ observations. A major reason was his ability to add what he saw during live action from his vantage point in the press box. He used his laptop and notepad to plot statistics that he considered important throughout the games, and shared the information with the coaches at halftime and after the game.

“Getting some additional information about where we’re giving up shots on the field was critical,” said Lockard.

The most rewarding game for Brown was when the Lyons defeated Eastern Connecticut State for the first time since 1996. The victory snapped the team’s four-game losing streak, and was a turning point in his analytic process.

“I believe this can help us win games when we get it right,” said Lockard. “It’s exciting because I think we’ve only scratched the surface.”

On June 3, Brown began working at the headquarters of Bloomberg L.P. in New York, where he interned last summer. He is an analyst in the management planning and analysis group that oversees the company’s financial products. He also plans to continue working with Lockard and the team.

This year in February, before the men’s and women’s swimming teams competed in the New England Women’s and Men’s Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) championships, coach Barrett Roberts ’07 gathered the group for a pre-meet pep talk. He highlighted some of the great moments from past championships, as well as talked about various swimmers who had surpassed expectations.

“This year, I spoke about John Kuckens ’06, Zachariah Hicks ’07, John Ahern ’10 and Christian Woods ’12,” said Roberts, a former member of the Wheaton swim team. Next year a name that surely will be added to that list is Caroline Isaacs ’13.

Isaacs, the women’s swimming team co-captain, graduated in May as the program’s most successful distance swimmer, according to Roberts, with records in the 500-yard, 1,000-yard and 1,650-yard freestyles as well as the 400-yard individual medley. She also was a two-time NEWMAC Academic All-Conference Award winner; the recipient of a 2013 Banning-Ford Prize in Education; and she achieved the highest grade point average on the team for the fall semester, which secured the Lyons a spot on this year’s College Swimming Coaches Association of America (CSCAA) Team Scholar All-America list.

“She will definitely be remembered as a major contributor to our program and an example to follow for years to come,” said Roberts. “When she first joined the team, she wasn’t considered a potential record holder, but Caroline improved dramatically since her freshman year. She willed herself to an elite level of competition and earned every bit of her success.”

Isaacs also found inspiration in her Wheaton team, which she notes focuses on teamwork instead of individual performances.

“The swim team became a second family,” she said. “I loved how both the men’s and women’s teams were always spending time together and appreciated how every member, no matter their speed, had a role to play in making the team better.”

Isaacs made an immediate impact during her first season as she broke a five-year-old program mark at the conference championship meet in the 400-yard individual medley, with a time of 4:47:15. She improved her speed during the next three seasons, shattering additional records along the way.

“After swimming the best times of my life and breaking my events’ records, I felt as though the work had paid off, and it made me dedicated to improving,” she said.

While she worked hard to personally improve in each event, she also cheered on her teammates, which led them to elect her co-captain this past season. Isaacs, who is a resident advisor, was also a member of the Wheaton Athletic Mentors and the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee.

“Caroline is a leader and someone who is very amiable,” noted co-captain Dana Auger ’13. “She is a dedicated worker in and out of the pool, and that quality reflects upon the rest of the team and helps others want to succeed, too.”

Isaacs has been equally skilled at pursuing and combining all of her academic interests. She majored in studio art and chose minors in early childhood education and psychology, all of which perfectly prepared her for her role as a student teacher for kindergarten and first grade students in a North Attleboro school this year. Her outstanding work there earned her an education department award, which was presented at the Honors Convocation.

She will be teaching second grade at Mary of Nazareth Catholic School in Darnestown, Md., this fall, and plans to pursue a master’s degree in special education in a few years.

“I enjoy teaching because of the interaction with my students,” she said. “I have only been in the classroom for a short time, but I get a thrill from watching a student understand a difficult concept or become increasingly excited about the subject matter.”

Photos by Keith Nordstrom

]]>https://wheatoncollege.edu/quarterly/2013/10/15/victory-lap/feed/0Caroline Isaacs ’13 swimmingWheaton Women’s Swim TeamCaroline Isaacs ’13At the top of her game—on and off the courthttps://wheatoncollege.edu/quarterly/2013/06/12/top-gameon-court/
https://wheatoncollege.edu/quarterly/2013/06/12/top-gameon-court/#respondWed, 12 Jun 2013 13:20:33 +0000http://wheatoncollege.edu/quarterly/?p=8125Sophomore McKenzie “Kenzie” Kuhn, a point guard on the women’s basketball team, has always been a motivated person.

In high school she would spend hours in her driveway working on her jump shot—even with snow on the pavement. And she would travel two hours from her home in Glenwood Springs, Colo., to practice and play with the Amateur Athletic Union basketball team, the Colorado Heat, to improve her skills.

Her determination on the hardwood was matched in the classroom, where her finely honed time-management skills helped her maintain a perfect grade point average throughout high school—all while she was also involved in three varsity sports and numerous clubs.

At Wheaton, the environmental science major has continued to do the same as a student-athlete.

“Ever since I was little I have had a competitive drive to do the best that I can in whatever I am trying to do,” says Kuhn. “Whether it’s a class or a drill, I want to get the most out of my time by working my hardest.”

Kuhn caught the attention of women’s basketball head coach Melissa Hodgdon, who recalls watching and admiring her energy, hustle and toughness on the court.

“At first I only knew how good Kenzie was as a basketball player; I loved how hard she played. And she had such positive interactions with her teammates. I could tell she was a strong leader,” says Hodgdon. “Later, I learned that she was a straight-A student, which showed her tremendous work ethic off the court.”

Since arriving at Wheaton, Kuhn has made an impact. She started every game with the Lyons this past season and averaged 29.3 minutes per game, the most among all players.

In two seasons she has tallied 297 points, 189 rebounds, 159 assists, 68 steals and 52 three-pointers. She also was selected in February to the Capital One All-District women’s basketball team by the College Sports Information Directors of America in New England. Selection is based on academic and athletic performance.

She’s also a Wheaton Athletic Mentor, a member of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, and a lab buddy in Professor Janina Benoit’s “Aqueous Equilibria” course.

And she maintains a perfect grade point average. It’s a great accomplishment, given her balancing act as a student-athlete, yet she remains grounded about it.

“I am pretty realistic,” she says. “I know that I will take some challenging classes in my time here at Wheaton, so I just try to work my hardest. So far that has resulted in a 4.0.”

She is majoring in environmental science because of her love for the outdoors and admiration for her father’s work with the Colorado River Water Conservation District. “I’ve always liked science and I can get a deeper understanding of the world around me from my classes. I love seeing something in nature or watching any process and knowing how it works,” says Kuhn.

Last summer, she interned with Professor Matthew Evans, assisting him with two projects, one funded by NASA, the other by the National Science Foundation.

The first project focused on hot spring and river samples from Bhutan, in an attempt to better understand the global carbon cycle; the other concentrated on careful chemical analysis of ice core segments from Antarctica as part of a project to examine glacier–sea ice dynamics and climate change.

“Kenzie was great to work with and she’s funny. I’ve never seen her stressed or down. Her positive attitude is amazing,” Evans says. “She certainly came into the project a little shy, mostly just trying to get a feel for the work and how things would run, but by the end she was a much more confident researcher.”

How does she manage it all so well? “I keep a weekly planner that has everything for the upcoming week scheduled in it,” she says, “and I make a lot of large ‘to-do’ lists.”

Facebook and Twitter updates helped bring in a crowd of supporters for a winter basketball game.

If you Facebook it, they will come.

Wheaton student-athletes, coaches, administrators and alums are seeing this more and more as they continue to raise the virtual profile of college athletics by using social media.

Just one example: Before students departed campus in December for winter break, the women’s basketball team extended an invitation to the entire campus for an important conference game against Babson College.

In addition to using the college’s in-house email system, posters and flyers, the team relied on every member of its squad to advertise the event through their accounts on Facebook, as well as send out tweets via the team’s handle @WheatonBBall to encourage people to come to the game and wear their Wheaton blue. The athletics department also used social media channels to advertise the event for about a month prior.

The efforts worked. The campus community, as well as fans from local towns, flocked to Emerson Gymnasium decked out in blue. The audience was triple the size that the team usually sees at games.

“It was the most people I’ve seen in a long time,” said Gabriella “Gabby” Barbera ’13, a member of the women’s basketball team. (She also blogged about the event.) “We were so appreciative and shocked at just how many fans came out to support us. Social media really had a powerful impact. It truly does help spread the word much more quickly.”

The immediacy of social media instantly puts a large fan base within electronic reach, notes Director of Athletics John Sutyak ’00.

“It allows us to provide constant updates, as quickly as we can type. If I am at a game—it doesn’t matter if it is in Norton, Mass., or in Florida—I can give a quick update on my phone, without leaving my seat,” he said. “Our website can also be updated; however, we can’t do it as quickly or as easily on the go. Social media also is an avenue that drives traffic to our website, which allows people the opportunity to get more information.”

So far Wheaton has attracted 1,135 fans to its pages on Facebook and welcomed 651 followers on Twitter.

Steve Angelo, director of intramurals and club sports, says social media has helped enhance his program by getting out information about sign-ups and available sporting opportunities. Also, he notes, “intramural participants can see action shots of themselves, and some of them use these pictures as their profile photos on their personal Facebook pages, so word spreads even more.”

Caitlin Hampton ’13, who is the men’s basketball team’s manager, creates “events” through the Men’s Basketball “group” on Facebook. She also uses her personal Facebook page to promote the team’s home games among her many friends, who can also easily share the information with their friends.

Daniel Libon ’09, who was a member of the cross country and track and field teams at Wheaton, now relies on Facebook and Twitter for his updates on wins and losses.

“If not for Wheaton’s efforts to promote athletics through social media,” Libon says, “I wouldn’t know as much as I do about how teams are doing.”

“Social media is great for allowing people who can’t attend games to learn about Wheaton,” adds Dennis Scarpa ’13, a member of the men’s tennis team. “I know that after graduation I will be using social media to stay informed and connected.”

That kind of connection to students and alums is one of the most valuable features that social media provides, says women’s lacrosse coach Emily Kiablick.

“We’re able to get the message out there that our teams are like family. Once you’ve played in this program, you’re always a part of the program.”

Sean Ryan’s roots in baseball run deep. His grandfather, who is in the Boston Park League Hall of Fame, was invited for a tryout with the New York Yankees. His father used to place a plastic baseball glove in Ryan’s crib. And Ryan fondly remembers working on his swing in his front yard when he was 6 years old.

So it is no wonder that the diamond still sparkles for him. “Baseball is special to me because nothing matches the feeling of being up at the plate against the pitcher and doing everything possible to get on base,” says Ryan, a senior who is majoring in economics.

For the past three seasons, the Norton, Mass., native has occupied the outfield of Sidell Stadium, and that deep-rooted dedication to the game has made him a pivotal part of the Lyons’ success.

In 2010, he was named the NEWMAC Rookie of the Year and also earned a spot on the All-Conference Second Team. In 2011, he sustained a season-ending injury but bounced back last season by leading the Lyons in batting average, slugging percentage and runs, while also recording three home runs, 37 RBIs and 30 stolen bases. He was named NEWMAC’s Player of the Year in 2012, as well as an American Baseball Coaches Association Division III All-American (second team), which means that he was recognized for being the second-best player in the country at his position (outfield) in Division III.

The numbers and awards are only part of Ryan’s story as a stand-out player, points out Eric Podbelski, head coach of baseball.

“Sean helps our team beyond what shows up in the box score,” Podbelski says. “His competitiveness and determination not only help him be the player he is, but it also rubs off on his teammates.”

Last summer, Ryan was one of the first players to sign a contract with the Brockton Rox, a former independent baseball team in Brockton, Mass., that joined the Futures Collegiate Baseball League in January 2012. Once the season commenced, the Rox outfielder made his mark by leading all players in triples, while finishing second in batting average and hits, as well as earning a spot in the inaugural All-Star Game.

“The Futures Collegiate Baseball League was quite an experience,” says Ryan. “It was special for me personally because I got to compete with Division I and II athletes. Being able to compete and make the All-Star team as a Division III player was gratifying.”

Ryan has worked hard for his achievements, finding balance between the demands of the ball field and the classroom.

“My experience being a student-athlete at Wheaton has been challenging,” he says. “It is difficult to keep up with the high academic level Wheaton demands along with the commitment one must endure when choosing to play a sport.”

But he has done it. This is his last season with the Lyons, and he expects to build upon the momentum he gained from the Rox before he graduates in May.

He says he intends to apply the same determination that has led to his success on the diamond to whatever career he decides to pursue. He has been intrigued by economics since his very first introductory classes with professors James Freeman and Russell Williams, so he’s considering working in the corporate world with a focus on economics.

But there will always be room for baseball. “I would love to be an assistant coach somewhere because I love baseball, and I feel like I know enough about the game now that I can teach and help people become better players.”